1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for heating a portion of the surface of a firearm stock and more particularly pertains to warming the fingers of the shooting hand of a hunter in cold conditions to improve his or her comfort, and marksmanship as well as to improve his or her ability to safely operate the trigger and safety mechanism of the firearm.
2. Description of prior art
Heated grips and handles are known to exist in the prior art. By way of example, Hollander in U.S. Pat. 4,471,209 discloses electrically heated hand grips for vehicle handle bars. Garrett in U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,192 discloses an electrically heated handle for a fishing rod. Smith in U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,026 discloses an electrically heated handle grip for a bow handle.
While these devices accomplish their respective purposes, none of them accomplishes the specific purpose of heating a portion of the stock of a firearm such as a rifle or a shotgun. More particularly, the above mentioned patents do not teach a built-in device for electrically heating a portion of a firearm stock so that a hunter may warm his or her shooting hand while holding carrying , aiming or shooting a firearm.
Most sport hunting seasons are conducted during cold weather. While hunting game in cold weather, hunters often need to remain hidden, quiet and nearly motionless in blinds or in stands or are often walking in open areas and are exposed to wind and cold. Consequently, a hunter in cold weather is confronted with the alternatives of wearing heavy gloves or shooting bare handed with cold, stiff fingers. Both alternatives will limit the hunter's ability to operate the firearm safely and effectively. A hunter with heavily gloved or cold, numb fingers is more likely to misfire or leave a safety off when it is thought to be engaged. Accordingly, for reasons of safety and comfort, there exists a continuing need for a simple, reliable device that is built into a firearm stock and that locally heats a selected portion of the firearm stock surface so that a hunter using the firearm can operate it more comfortably and effectively with a warm, dexterous trigger hand.